Quarterback Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals are just days away from starting the 2025 season with a divisional road game against the Cleveland Browns.The Bengals have lost three consecutive Week 1 matchups, including a 24-3 loss to the Browns on a rainy day at Huntington Bank Field in 2023.In light of that recent lack of success in season openers, the Bengals enter the 2025 season eager to get off on the right foot as they aim to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2022 campaign.“I’m very confident,” Burrow said. “My body’s in a place that it hasn’t been in years past, so for me personally, I’m excited about that opportunity. We’re treating (Week 1) like any other game. We’re not doing anything differently. Obviously, there’s an emphasis on the start of this season and having to win some of these games early, but that comes down to Sundays.”Part of winning Sunday’s game will come down to how well the Bengals can contain Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, a four-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler who can put fear in opposing quarterbacks and offensive coordinators.“He can win the game if you let him,” Burrow said of Garrett. “You have to, number one, game plan around him, number two, as a quarterback, you have to be aware of where he is at all times.”The Browns are set to enter Sunday’s game with 40-year-old Joe Flacco at quarterback, who drew the start over rookie quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.“I think he throws it better than a lot of people give him credit for, and I think he’s one of the more natural throwers of the football that I’ve ever seen,” Burrow said of Flacco. “He can spin it with the best of them, he’s got one of the strongest arms of all-time, so he’s going to be able to put the ball when and where he wants to put it.”Sunday’s game will kick off at 1 p.m. ET.

CLEVELAND —

Quarterback Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals are just days away from starting the 2025 season with a divisional road game against the Cleveland Browns.

The Bengals have lost three consecutive Week 1 matchups, including a 24-3 loss to the Browns on a rainy day at Huntington Bank Field in 2023.

In light of that recent lack of success in season openers, the Bengals enter the 2025 season eager to get off on the right foot as they aim to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2022 campaign.

“I’m very confident,” Burrow said. “My body’s in a place that it hasn’t been in years past, so for me personally, I’m excited about that opportunity. We’re treating (Week 1) like any other game. We’re not doing anything differently. Obviously, there’s an emphasis on the start of this season and having to win some of these games early, but that comes down to Sundays.”

Part of winning Sunday’s game will come down to how well the Bengals can contain Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, a four-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler who can put fear in opposing quarterbacks and offensive coordinators.

“He can win the game if you let him,” Burrow said of Garrett. “You have to, number one, game plan around him, number two, as a quarterback, you have to be aware of where he is at all times.”

The Browns are set to enter Sunday’s game with 40-year-old Joe Flacco at quarterback, who drew the start over rookie quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.

“I think he throws it better than a lot of people give him credit for, and I think he’s one of the more natural throwers of the football that I’ve ever seen,” Burrow said of Flacco. “He can spin it with the best of them, he’s got one of the strongest arms of all-time, so he’s going to be able to put the ball when and where he wants to put it.”

Sunday’s game will kick off at 1 p.m. ET.